Our Approach
Four pathways. One goal: stronger families.
Money trouble, no childcare, and legal problems don’t show up one at a time. They hit all at once. So we don’t run one program in isolation. Every mother we work with gets help with all four, because building a real pathway to independence takes more than one kind of support.
Pillar 01
Economic Empowerment & Financial Inclusion
The Challenge
A finished training course doesn't pay rent by itself. Many mothers come out of a skills program with real ability and still no capital, no market, and no cushion while they get started.
A new sewing or farming skill doesn't pay rent by itself. A mother also needs money to buy supplies and get started. That's why every training course comes with a savings group attached, so a certificate turns into an actual paycheck, not just a piece of paper.
What Participants Can Access
- Hands-on training in trades people can get hired or start a business with: tailoring, agribusiness, catering
- Basic computer and phone skills for online work like data entry and freelance jobs
- Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), small savings groups where members save together and take turns borrowing
The Outcome We’re Working Toward
A mother earning steady income of her own, with savings behind her and a trade or small business she can keep growing.
Our 2026–2030 target: Equip 1,500 single mothers with income-generating skills and access to micro-capital.
Pillar 02
Psychological Well-being & Legal Support
The Challenge
Some mothers are carrying more than money problems: grief, trauma, or a legal case they can't afford a lawyer for, often with no one asking how they're really doing.
Some mothers are carrying more than money problems: grief, trauma, or a custody case they can't afford a lawyer for. We run a weekly drop-in clinic where a mother can talk to a counselor or a pro-bono lawyer. No appointment needed, no fee.
What Participants Can Access
- Weekly support groups where mothers talk through what they're going through with people who understand
- Free legal help with child support, custody, and land rights cases
- Community conversations that push back on the stigma single mothers face
The Outcome We’re Working Toward
A mother who's been heard, knows her rights, and has the legal and emotional footing to protect her family.
Our 2026–2030 target: Provide mental health counselling and legal aid to 1,000 single mothers facing trauma, stigma, or rights violations.
Pillar 03
Child Welfare & Educational Support
The Challenge
A mother can't sit through a training session or a savings group meeting with no one to watch her kids, and a missed school fee payment can end a child's education overnight.
A mother can't sit through a training class if she's worried about who's watching her kids. So while she's in session, her children are with us: fed, supervised, and safe. And when school fees are the thing standing between a child and their education, we help close that gap.
What Participants Can Access
- A childcare space at our office so mothers can attend training without worrying about their kids
- Help paying school fees and buying uniforms for kids who'd otherwise be sent home
- Early learning support for children under 5
The Outcome We’re Working Toward
Children who stay in school and in stable care while their mother builds a steadier future for the whole family.
Our 2026–2030 target: Support educational continuity of 2,500 children of single mothers to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
Pillar 04
Organizational Growth & Sustainability
The Challenge
None of this holds up if STAIRS runs out of money halfway through a program, or can't show donors and partners exactly what's working.
None of this works if we run out of money halfway through a program. We're building small income streams of our own, like a community bakery, so training and savings groups don't stop the moment a grant runs out.
What Participants Can Access
- A small community business, like a bakery, that helps cover our running costs
- Regular check-ins to track what's actually working, and fix what isn't
- Partnerships with local leaders, county government, and other organizations
The Outcome We’re Working Toward
A CBO with income of its own, clear data on what's working, and the partnerships it needs to reach more families.
Our 2026–2030 target: Build a resilient, well-funded, and data-driven CBO capable of scaling operations regionally.
We’re Just Getting Started
Here’s what we’re building toward over the next 5 years
See exactly what we plan to do each year, the numbers we’re aiming for, and what could slow us down.